In the housing construction or remodeling industry it is common to have several people involved in the placement and securing of a panel, such as, a sheetrock or drywall panel to a vertical wall. For example, just to place one panel of drywall to an upper portion of a wall, it has been routine and necessary for two or three people to hold a panel of the drywall to the vertical wall of a normal wall height (8 to 9 feet) in order for another person not holding the drywall panel to nail or glue the drywall panel to the wall. In such situations it is generally awkward and virtually impossible for one person to hold a heavy drywall panel of say sheetrock in position and nail the panel of drywall at the same time, since drywall is typically pushed up to its location for a nice tight fit.
Another condition that has given rise to specialized tools is the need to meet consumer requirements, such as, the desire to have higher ceilings, cathedral ceilings, 9 to 12 foot ceilings, etc. In these situations, placing panels of sheetrock to the higher areas may be limited and hazardous. There are a few designs of construction lifting apparatus that have been created to allow an operator to lift or move a heavy object, such as, drywall panels and glass panels, which may be lifted to a height where they may be transferred onto a panel lifter having an extended height capability and which are more specifically designed for outer wall use. These tools are often described as devices for lifting and transporting panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,942 (Roland O. Young), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a lifting device for lifting ceiling panels into place flush against the ceiling beams for installation. The device has a supporting structure for supporting the panel and telescoping sleeves for raising and lowering the panels. The device also has a cable and pulley connecting structure for telescoping the sleeves with a drum or spool for winding the cable and a brake mechanism for the drum. The supporting structure may also be pivoted at an angle and carry thereon panels for installation against the upright wall framework.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,802 (Francis E. Reynold), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a building panel positioner which permits a building board or panel to be positioned adjacent a ceiling or wall framework in building construction. The device comprises a base from which a bottom, intermediate and top section vertically extend in telescoping interfitted adjustably extending relation to each other with support means having a planar surface for support of the board or panel. The support means has retaining means associated therewith to prevent lateral movement with respect thereto. In addition, the retaining means has locking means associated therewith to prevent outward movement of the board or panel relative to the planar surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,774 (Balseiro, et al.), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an apparatus for lifting a panel to a ceiling that has a post having an upper end and a lower end, a spring in the post between the upper and lower ends for at least limited longitudinal compression of the post against a spring force, and a foot pivoted on the lower end about a foot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. A handle is pivoted on the post between its ends about a handle axis generally parallel to the foot axis and a panel-engaging support bar is pivoted on the upper end of the post about a bar-pivot axis generally parallel to the foot and handle axes, extends perpendicular to this bar-pivot axis, and has one end provided with an outwardly directed cleat. Thus this bar can be engaged under the panel with the cleat against an edge of the panel. At least one bar spring is operatively engaged between the bar and the post for biasing the bar into a position extending perpendicular to the post.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,899 (Jerome C. Palya), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a device for lifting panels by a single individual may cause such panels to be elevated vertically in connection with a structure to a location considerably higher than that which the person is located, without the use of ladders. A frame is mounted and erected vertically and a panel slides upwardly by a winch operation until in position to secured to the structure. Legs may be attached to said frame by which a work table may be provided to work on such panels prior to installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,429 (Roland O. Young), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a panel lifting apparatus having at least three telescoping elongated sections telescoping into one another and all telescoping into a non-telescoping elongated frame member. Three separate chain length segaments not directly connected to one another act to raise and lower the telescoping sections. The first chain segament has its upper and lower end mounted to the upper and lower end of the first telescoping section. The second chain segament has its upper end connected to the upper end of the non-telescoping section and its lower end connected to the lower end of the second telescoping section. The third chain segament has its upper end connected to the upper end of the first telescoping section and its lower end connected to the lower end of the third telescoping section. The non-telescoping section has a gear drive with its output gear engaging the first chain segament to raise and lower the first chain segament to thereby raise and lower the first telescoping section. The raising and lowering of the first telescoping section raises and lowers simultaneously the second and third telescoping sections through the chain segament connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,755 (Thomas Francis Jesperson), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a panel lifting apparatus for detachable attachment to a panel lifting hoist or trolley. The apparatus comprises a primary support member, a clamp for gripping engagement with a panel to be lifted, a control device for actuating the clamp via a cable linking the clamp and the control device. When a panel is to be lifted from a position off the apparatus and onto the hoist or trolley, the clamp is brought into engagement with the panel and the control device is actuated to draw the panel onto the hoist or trolley enabling the support and carriage of same.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,430 (Douglas B. Reynolds, et al.), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses yet another type of apparatus which provides a mast and a cable-operated winch for pivot-lifting horizontally-manufacture wall frames to the vertical position, utilizing upper and lower sections of 2″.times.6″ lumber to form the length of the mast. Top and bottom mast elements have hollow box sockets, into which the lengths of lumber are telescoped, and a middle mast element carries a winch with the cable hooked to the top rail of the wall frame. This is designed primarily for outside wall use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,561 (Thomson, et al.), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a collapsible device for assisting a construction worker in erecting a framed wall. The device includes an elongated telescoping arm having a planar foot member at a first end thereof for vertically securing the arm to a floor. A first end of an elongated nylon strap is attached to a retraction mechanism on the arm. A second end of the nylon strap has a bracket thereon for securing to the top of a wall. The telescoping arm has a weight indication means for indicating to a user the weight of a wall being erected thereby. Accordingly, the strap may be secured to a horizontally oriented wall and the nylon strap is retracted causing the wall to pivot to a vertical position. The telescoping arm allows the device to be easily collapsed for transport or storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,945 (Jeffries, et al.), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a sheet material lifting and retaining apparatus including a shaft member having a longitudinal axis. A gas cylinder assembly is secured to the shaft member, the gas cylinder assembly having an axis of operation that is generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the shaft member. A sheet material contact member is secured to the gas cylinder assembly. The shaft member can include a length adjustment mechanism, which may be provided as a telescoping tube arrangement having a plurality of telescoping aluminum tubes. The gas cylinder assembly can include a self-contained gas cylinder. An end fitting can be secured to a first end of the gas cylinder, with a shaft attachment member secured to a second, opposite end of the gas cylinder. An actuator can be provided to selectively control actuation of the gas cylinder. The actuator of the gas cylinder assembly can include a rod portion extending generally parallel to the shaft member. The shaft member can include an attachment bracket adapted to be secured to the shaft attachment member of the gas cylinder assembly. The end fitting can be adapted to be secured to the sheet material contact member, which may be provided as a generally planar nylon block. A floor contact member, which may include a cushion contact surface, can secured to an end of the shaft member opposite the gas cylinder assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,399 (Mark S. Nelson), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a simple, compact, hands free device that allows a single operator to vertically lift and hold construction panels to a desired height for securing to a wall surface. Downward foot pressure on one end of a slotted lever arm causes a panel lifting surface on the other end of the lever arm to rise. This lever arm is supported by a base support which also supports a locking arm. Once the desired height is reached, the device locks the panel into position. The operator is then free to move about, adjust, and finally secure the panel. Once the panel is secured, the locking arm is released by simple forward pressure. With the aid of a foot strap, the device can then be transported to the next panel ready for lifting. This device eliminates the use of hands, bending, or stooping during the process of lifting construction panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,448 (Dennis Stewart), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses another type of prior art device which involves the use of an adjustable drywall support apparatus for holding a gypsum wallboard in place as it is being installed at ceiling level, which includes a support assembly of an elongate tubular and shaft members being telescopingly disposed in the elongate tubular member, with a cross member assembly including a tubular main cross member securely attached to the support assembly and adapted to support a drywall panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,275 (Charles T. Ray), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a lift platform with a pair of panel-supporting legs of square metal tubing attachable to side rails of the lift platform, with each leg being connected to the rails by an upper clamp at the top of the leg and a lower clamp at a middle location. A panel-receiving U-shaped channel is located on the opposite side of the leg, away from the rails, while the lower clamp has a standoff member included in its connection to the leg serving to project the bottom of the legs outward at an angle. Rollers at the top and bottom provide low-fiction rolling contact for weight bearing surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,606 (Mark E. Raycraft), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a lightweight apparatus related generally to lifting heavy objects of construction materials by a single individual, such as panels of sheetrock to inside or outside walls, easily accommodating walls up to 12 feet in height, including angled walls. It is more particularly directed to raising panels of sheetrock to upper portions of a wall and holding the panel in place while an individual nails or screws the sheetrock to the wall studs. A triangular sling-like attachment secures a panel of drywall being lifted by turning the winch. Another attachment on the top section allows the apparatus to lean against the studded wall. The vertical panel lift allows the worker to handle with ease drywall panels that are ¼″, ⅜″, ½″ and ⅝″ thick, in addition to holding in place drywall panels as large as 54″ wide and 16 feet long.
Even with these improvements, a need exists for an improved way to install large panels, such as, sheets of sheetrock to inner walls safely by a single operator.
Thus a need exists for a device which is mobile, light in weight and easy to use in the housing construction and remodeling industry to hang sheetrock and similar other construction materials by a single individual.
A need also exists for a simple, lightweight panel installing device that is easy to carry to a jobsite, yet having an effective mechanism to lift sheetrock and hold the panel against the wall while the construction panel is being secured to the vertical wall.
Furthermore, a need also exists for an adjustable tool with an adjustment mechanism having significant holding strength once the desired height is selected.
This invention overcomes the problems of the prior art. The invention provides a design that is compact and has easy maneuverability for the operator. The apparatus is self-standing at any position during the complete cycle from loading of the panel to the final installation of the panel.
This inventive device engages the panel, such as, a sheetrock, at the bottom by contact only, and disengages once the panel is fastened in place and the loader is removed. One person can easily and safely operate this apparatus.
The upper tubular section of the inventive device can be quickly swapped with one having different length to accommodate various wall heights.